My first OSX build - Please check for compatibility! (BOBW)

[ElminsterTCOM]

Ok, so there can apparently be some advantages of using a board with a x16 switch adding another x16 slot. Rather than statically giving each card 8 lanes, the switch can dynamically allocate lane bandwidth to each based on load.
This AnandTech article talks about it a bit.

Thanks again for all of the detailed information DBP! That article was very informative, now I completely understand these Gigabyte block diagrams. It is unfortunate that ASUS does not provide the same sort of diagram because then I would know how the ASUS P8Z77-V PREMIUM functions. Based on the table in its manual on page 1-25 it appears that its layout is the same as the G1.Sniper 3 board (ie. 2 slots into a switch then into the PLX chip). It appears that the ASUS board has all of the features that I am looking for, but I do not know if the thunderbolt port works in OSX.

Another point, I see how Gigabyte got around the PLX latency issue that article was talking about with the GA-Z77X-UP7 board. They put a switch in between the PLX chip and the bus, effectively creating a single 16x no latency slot for single GPU builds. Very nice! I realize this board does not have thunderbolt. Like you mentioned, my choices are limited. It's either the ASUS P8Z77-V PREMIUM that may not have a working thunderbolt port or the GA-Z77X-UP7 that does not have a thunderbolt port! (I am not worried about the USB ports as long as all the Z77 ports work, I'm good!)

Can anyone confirm whether the ASUS P8Z77-V PREMIUM thunderbolt port works?

 

[ElminsterTCOM]

Can anyone confirm whether the ASUS P8Z77-V PREMIUM thunderbolt port works?

This might be a moot point since I can't find the board for sale anywhere! The only retailer that even lists it is frys and their site says its available for preorder! Ha!

I see that there has been some success with the ASUS Maximus V EXTREME, but no details on whether the thunderbolt port works. I am also surprised that this board is either x16 or x8, x8 or x8, x16, x8? That doesn't make sense! I am not exactly sure how they implemented the plx chip in this instance. But I'm not too worried, x8, x8 should be sufficient and far better than x8, x4 with two gtx680's. Edit: This is why! http://m.hardocp.com/article/2013/01/10/maximus_v_extreme_z77_motherboard_review/

Can anyone comment on the ASUS Maximus V EXTREME beyond what has been posted below?
http://www.tonymacx86.com/mountain-...mus-v-extreme-nvidia-gtx-680-ml-10-8-2-a.html

http://www.tonymacx86.com/mountain-...v-extreme-bios-settings-new-install-help.html

 

[ElminsterTCOM]

I am seriously considering this ASUS Maximus Extreme motherboard to replace the GA-Z77X-UP5 TH that I was originally planning on purchasing. Since this has a patched bios, found here: http://www.tonymacx86.com/dsdt/43486-asus-1155-patched-bios-repository.html

My question is, can I safely assume that all the Z77 components (i.e. USB 2/3 and SATA II/III ports) will work properly?

In addition to that, this board has an ASMedia 1061 chip that provides 4 SATA III ports which appears to have native ML support. Found here: http://www.tonymacx86.com/general-h...1-pcie-sata-iii-card-works-mountain-lion.html
Can I safely assume that this will work as well?

This board also has the ASMedia 1042 chip which adds 4 additional USB 3 ports to the system. I believe that ML also supports this chip but at USB 3 speeds only and will not recognize USB 2 devices attached? Found here: http://www.tonymacx86.com/general-help/87555-p8z77-i-usb-3-0-issues-asmedia-asm1042.html

For ethernet, this board has the Intel 82579V chip which has a KEXT here: http://www.tonymacx86.com/network/87530-kext-intel-82579v-gigabit-network-connection.html

The only component I can not find information on is the thunderbolt port labeled as "Intel Thunderbolt" on the chip.

Can I safely assume that everything mentioned above (minus the thunderbolt port) will work in ML?

(I am not even going to try the Bluetooth or wireless) Thank you!

 

[AppleSlinger]

DPB -

Need some help...I have essentially the same build as your lammergeier machine. I just picked up a Rocket 640L (not RAID) card to support (3) hot-swap bays and have been trying to get it spun up. Each time I install the card, I get a boot failure...asks for me to select a boot drive and reboot. Everything runs great without the card in. I have updated kexts to "3rd Party SATA". What am I missing?

- Richard

 

[DBP]

I don't think the "3rd Party" kexts are needed for that: it should work within the OS and BIOS. I think you should be able to "see" the RAID sets you've defined by the time you get to the BIOS.